Meeting documents

Pension Fund Committee
Friday, 22 February 2002

PF220202-16

Report by the Director for Business Support and County Treasurer

This report introduces to the Committee an application, from a qualifying employer The Thames Valley Partnership, seeking admission to the Local Government Pension Fund. This application follows the categories introduced to the Pensions and Investment Sub–Committee in November 2000. In addition the Committee is asked to note that following the approval in principle, admission agreements have been signed with Oxfordshire Care Partnership and the Order of St Johns Care Trust. These two agreements were part of the wider Homes for Older People Transfer.

The Thames Valley Partnership’s objectives include promotion of good citizenship and greater public participation in the prevention and solution of crime in the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, in particular by promoting the effective partnership of all relevant organisations in these areas on all aspects of community safety.

The Thames Valley Partnership activities include development of a model for neighbourhood based community safety, working with Youth Offending Teams and maintaining a Young Citizen Programme. Staffing to provide these activities has traditionally been by secondment of personnel from the public services, including the Thames Valley Police, National Probation Service, Social Services Departments and National Health Service. An extension of these services will require staff directly employed by the Thames Valley Partnership and it is for these staff that admission to the pension fund is sought. The application comes within the regulation 5(3)(b) of the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 1997 as amended and follows the category 2 route as explained in the report to the Sub-Committee 17 November 2000.

The number of directly employed staff is unlikely to be high, and employment will be offered only on fixed term contracts. The seconded staff retain membership of the pension scheme of their primary employer, and the Thames Valley Partnership seek admission to the LGPS to be able to provide a comparable pension arrangement for their employees, especially as the staff are most likely to be from a public service background.

The actuary has not been specifically consulted at this stage about an estimated future employer contribution rate for the new employer. The intention would be to adopt the small admitted body group rate following the recent triennial valuation.

The Thames Valley Partnership has been informed of the responsibilities of an employer within Oxfordshire’s fund including the requirement to prepare, review and publish a policy about its use of discretionary powers. These requirements will all be included in the proposed admission agreement.

This is the first application for the Pensions Fund Committee from an employer seeking associated membership, receiving at least 50% of funds from Local Government Pension Scheme employers, under this route.

The Thames Valley Partnership has been supplied with information about admission agreement costs and the employer financial responsibilities of membership. The reported accounts for the two previous years have been seen confirming the grants and financial support from public bodies. The Thames Valley Partnership is aware that reimbursement of costs incurred by the County Council to draw up the agreement is part of the admission agreement.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:-

approve the application of The Thames Valley Partnership subject to all parties agreeing to the terms of the Admission Agreement, and this Committee being informed when agreements have been signed;

note that the admission agreements with the St Johns Care Trust and Oxfordshire Care Partnership have been agreed and signed.

CHRIS GRAY
Director for Business Support & County Treasurer

Background Papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Jenny Wylie, Pensions Manager Tel: (01865) 815530

February 2002